IT’S a good job Todd German is a bird-lover – as he has become foster parent to two demanding penguin chicks…. for the second time.

The senior aquarist at Scarborough Sea Life Sanctuary, Todd has already successfully reared two Humboldt penguin chicks, Rico and Skipper.

Now he is hand-rearing new arrivals Beaker and Custard after they proved too much of a challenge for first time parents George and Krusty. “It’s quite common for first-time parents to be unsuccessful,” said Todd. “In this case George and Krusty actually trampled and broke Custard’s egg and we had to help deliver her three days before she was due. Beaker hatched out normally, but mum and dad clearly had no idea about feeding or nurturing, so I’m a surrogate penguin parent yet again.”
His previous chicks Rico and Skipper were just a few days old when abandoned by their parents at another wildlife attraction in December 2014.


But thanks to Todd’s tender ministrations they are now the most confident members of the 20-strong flock at Scarborough Sea Life’s walkthrough attraction Penguin Island. Once again Todd has converted a cubicle in the Sanctuary’s seal hospital into a penguin post-natal facility, and is regularly feeding his little feathered friends to help them grow.

Like Rico and Skipper before them, they also roost at Todd’s house, since they need their last feed of the day at 10pm. “If all goes well, they will join the rest of the flock and meet the public for the first time in about two months’ time,” Todd added.


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